Potato-digger.



J. A. GILLIAM.

POTATO BIGGER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1912.

- Patented Jan. l2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wl TNESSES:

J. A. GILLIAM.

POTATO BIGGER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNB4,1912.

19124,@14. Patented Jan. 12,-1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

on srarns ar ernten JOHN A. GILLIA'M, 0F LOWER BRULE, SOUTH. DAKOTA.

reitero-BIGGER.

Application led J une 11, 1912.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN A. GILLIAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lower Brule, in the county of Lyman and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Diggers; and I do dcclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, whichy form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a potato digger, and more particularly to an apparatus which may be drawn or propelled through a field and is constructed and adapted for cutting potato tops, digging potatoes from,

their hills and elevating same to a sacking position, so that the entire digging operation may be mechanically performed during the travel of the apparatus over a potato row.

It is also an object of my invention to provide the apparatus described with means for agitating the elevator for the purpose of separating dirt from the potatoes, and also to provide a suitable sack platform and means for holding' sacks in open position thereon so that the potatoes may be delivered thereto from the elevator.

It is also an object of the invention to provide means for catching tops or brush to prevent same from entering the sacks and to mount such means on the digger frame, so that they will not interfere with the handling of the sacks and may be manipulated to throw the brush, or the like, from the frame.

In accomplishing these and other objects which will hereinafter be described, I have provided the improved details of structure set out in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure I-is a perspective view of a potato digger constructed according to my inven tion. FigeII is a longitudinal vertical section of the elevator and sacker. Fig. III

is a transverse vertical section of the frame and elevator guards showing the elevator clutch and sprockets. Fig. 7IV is an env larged detailed view of a preferred form of elevator. Fig. V is an enlarged perspective Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed aan. ie, i915.

serial'nq. 701,551.

view of part of the frame, showing the sack hooks.

Referring more in detail to the parts 1 designates a pair of carrying wheels, which are connected by a xed shaft 2, having bearings 3 upon which the frame 11 of the apparatus is mounted, said frame preferably consisting of angle'iron side and end members, as shown. Loosely mounted on the shaft 2 within the frame el are the side boards, or guards, 5, having downwardly and forwardly,projecting portions and horizontal rearwardly projectingportions co-eX tensive therewith.

Rigidly mounted in the sides offrame-el, at or near the front of the horizontal portions of the guards 5 is a shaft G, which proshaft 10,` said shafts having sleeves 11--12v revolubly mounted thereon provided with sprocket wheels 18 and 14:'.

Revolubly mounted on the carrying wheel shaft 2, below the spool shaft` 6, is a sleeve 15 which is provided with sprocket. wheels 1G, corresponding in numberand arrangement with the sprocket wheels on the shafts 9 and 10.

Extending around the end sprocket wheels 13 and 14 and running over the spools and wheels 16 is a chain belt conveyor 17, preferably comprising a number of individual belts 18, composed of a double series of links having lipped links 19 at intervals throughout their lengths, the lips 20 of which projectoutwardly from the belts to serve as keepers against which potatoes may reset during the elevated travel of the conveyer.

r1`he lips .20 of each belt are connected by pins 21, with the lips on the facing side of lips 2O on each side of each individual beltv are not connected by the pins 21 in order that when the conveyer is run over the drivingsprocket v16 on thecarrying shaft the teeth of said s rocket may project between the lips intoxy 'thepotato'hills" and `gathering the potatoes between the -shovelfsides 24,* a number of ...rake 'teeth 25 b'eing'xed to the shovel nose and; extending upwardly therefrom so as to -Y 35 rearwarcLl deliver'.y the potatoes onto the lower` end of theconveyer.v` y

The forward loose end of the shovel is -fixed to the arms 126 of a beam 27 corresponding to the beam of an ordinary cultiva'tor, the forward end of which 1sV pro.- vided with a clevis 28.

Pivotally connected with the arms 26 are supporting links 29 which are in turn pivotally connected with a lever 30 ,having link connection 3l with a lever 32, on a shaft 33, which is revolubly mounted, in a bearing 34, that is fixed on the top of a tongue 35 which extends forwardly of the frame 4 and is supported on the front cross member and on an intermediate cross member 36 of the angle iron frame. l.

The lever 30 is revolubly mounted in a bearing 37, also vsu ported on the tongue of tige hanger links 29, so that when t e operator manipulates the lever 32 through the handlel 38 the shovel 22 may be raised or lowered.

The handle 38 is provided with a latch 39 which is adapted for coperation with a quadrant 40 to lock the lever in position to hold the shovel at a desired elevation.

A seat 41 is mountedypn the frame crossbar 36, rearwardly of tilie lever v32, so that an operator may ride' on the machine in a convenient position for controlling the shovel and elevator and driving the horses when the digger is in operation.

Mounted on the beam 27 by hangers 42, is abrush cutter 43 comprising runners 44 which are braced by bars 45-45 from the carrying frame, and a forwardly projecting knife 46 having a central point 47 so that it vmay cut at both sides of the center; the brace members having pivotal mounting on the rod 29', which pivotally carries the supporting links 29, so that the runners may have free movement and the front end of the digger may be lifted without cramping the brace.

Mounted on the top of the knife is a A curved board 48 which is adapted for moving the cut brush to the side of the row out of the way of the shovel and elevator.

firing engagement with the `belt links. j y

The frame extends rearwardly beyond 4the end of the conveyer, and fixed to the sides of theyframe below the rear end of .the conveyer is a rod 49 which carries a rearwardly and downwardly inclined sack supporting board 50, the lower end of which is mounted on a rod 51 that is suspended from the frame by hangers 52. Fixed on the, side members of the frame, 4just back of the conveyer, are inwardly directed ears 53,

A.having u vwardly extending pinsL54, prol,

vided wit .sharpened4 oints 55.- Mounted lon the side lmembers o the frame,back of the pins 54, and above the ears 53, are hooks 56,"the pins and lhooks being adapted for holdin vthe mouth of thetsack open in position or receiving potatoes from the conveyer. Hinged to one side of the-'frame is a board 57 having pins 58 extending forwardly 'from the front edge thereof and adapted for catching brush, or the like, which may be delivered from the conveyer, so as to prevent the entrance thereof into theopen mouth of a sack. A seat 59 is mounted on the rearcffthe frame and `adapt' connected from, the shaft when* the conveyer is to be used-0r is to be rendered idle.

In order to more thoroughly separate dirt from the potatoes, I provide ay beater 63, comprising a bar which is revolubly mounted on a shaft 64 carried by the conveyer guards 5 between the upper and lower paths of the conveyer, and providedwith lipss66 which are adapted for engagement with the conveyer on its upward travel to beat against the under face thereof, in order to jar the potatoes during their travel and separate the dirt therefrom, so that the dirt may fall through the conveyer ontc the ground before the potatoes reach the sackin position.

7hen the apparatus is constructed and assembled as described, and provided with suitable motive power, it may be drawn through a field so that the carrying wheels lio where they are forwarded up over the rake conveyer.

-When 'the potatoes, with the dirt and stalks, reach the conveyer and are carried upwardly thereby, the relatively rough travel of the vehicle, aided by the beater 63, will jar the potatoessofthat they separate from the dirt and roots 'and by the time they reach the end of the conveyer they are relatively clean and will pass between the pins 58 into the open mouth of a sack which is supported on the board and held in open p osition by the pins 54 and hooks 56, the

vine stalks, or any other brush or trash which has been carried up with the potatoes being caught on top of the pins and on the board instead of entering the sacks With the potatoes. 1

When a sack has been filled the operator lifts the board to throw the trash to the side of the frame and expose the sack, which may be unhooked from the frame, tied and a1- lowed to slide down the inclined board to leave the machine and expose the succeed- .ing sack.

In practice I 4propose to carry a number of sacks at the upper end of the board with their lower portions hooked on the pins 54, so that when a full sack is released a succeeding sack may' be unfolded and secured to the hooks 56 without loss of time, so that potatoes from the continuously moving conveyer will notbe lost. y

It will be seen that the running. gear usid with the digger is the same as that of an ordinary cultivator, so that, when desired, the digger may beremoved and a oultivator applied thereto, although such use has not been illustrated in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new therein and desire-to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a vertical frame comprising spaced side members, of running gear comprising an axle, spaced conveyer guards pivotally mounted on the axle,

sprocket Wheels fixed on the axle, idle rollers mounted on the fraine andv-conveyer guards, at opposite ends of said guards, a conveyer mounted on the rollers in operative relation to the sprocket Wheels, and a spacing roller engaged by the conveyer and having a shaft extending through said guard members an'd engaged by the conveyer.

' 2. In a device of the character described, the combination with spaced frame members and an axle, of spaced conveyer guards pivotally mounted on the axle, a roller mounted on the frame members at one end of the guards, a roller mounted on the opposite ends of said guards, a conveyer running over said rollers, driving sprocket wheels on said axle operative engagement with the conveyer, and a spacing roller between said guards having a shaft mounted in said frame above the axle, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with an axle and ground wheels, a frame mounted on said axle, a shaft mounted in said frame and having idle sprocket wheels, a second shaft mounted in said frame above said axle and having a spacing roller, of spaced conveyer guards pivotally mounted on said axle lying on each side of said spacing roller, and having arcuatile slots at one end for receiving said first shaft and side apertures to permit of movement with respect to said second shaft, anidle shaft extending between the opposite ends of said guard members, sprocket Wheels on said shaft, sprocket wheels rigidly -mount on said axle, and a conveyer belt adapted for travel over the sprocket wheels at each end of the conveyer guards, over the spacing roller and said axle sprocket wheels, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signa` ture in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. GILLIAM.

Witnesses B. W. WITHERsrooN, S. K. SMITH.

topless of thia patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C." 

